


A Gift for Your Return

by Bofur1



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Light Angst, Post BoFA, Short Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-12
Updated: 2013-05-12
Packaged: 2017-12-11 17:06:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/801072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bofur1/pseuds/Bofur1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur are heading back to the Blue Mountains to fetch Bombur's wife and children. On their way, they visit Radagast the Brown in his home, Rhosgobel. While there, Radagast sees something in Bifur and gives him a unique gift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Gift for Your Return

“’Twas a pleasure to see ye again, Master Radagast,” Bofur said respectfully, tipping his hat to the wizard. “However, we’d best be gettin’ along home to m’ brother’s wife and young’uns. They’re bound t’ worryin’ ’bout their adad, and they’ve not yet seen th’ great city Erabor. And it’d be best that they also be there fer th’...mmm...” The Dwarf cleared his throat a bit. “Th’ funeral,” he murmured.

“Oh, yes...” Radagast nodded sadly. He placed a weathered hand on the miner’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“Aye, thank ye,” Bofur sighed. “It’s—hard. Fer all o’ us.” Abruptly he turned away, settling his hat on his head and blinking hard. He turned in a wide circle, not knowing in which particular direction he should speak. At last he called out to the entire house: “Bifur, Bombur. Time t’ go now!”

Bombur scuttled out from behind the large tree growing up in the middle of the floor. “Alright, Bofur, no need to yell.”

Bofur rolled his eyes. “Where’s Bifur?”

Their cousin soon emerged from a small nook, but he did not come alone. In his arms he cradled a small animal.

Bofur squinted. “What’s—?”

“Sebastian,” Radagast said, his words warm with affection.

Bofur’s eyebrows rose when he saw how Bifur held the hedgehog close against his chest. What surprised him more was that...Sebastian...seemed to like it. He seemed fond of nestling into the untidy black and white curtain of Bifur’s beard and staring out with large black eyes.

“It’s time t’ go, Bifur,” Bofur said apologetically. Bifur looked up at him, surprised. “We’re leavin’,” Bofur repeated.

In Bifur’s eyes glinted a strange distress. He untangled the prickly creature from his beard and hesitated. At last he regretfully held the hedgehog out to the wizard.

Radagast looked at Sebastian, who was making uncomfortable noises and trying to crawl up the Dwarf’s arm to get back to the warmth of his beard. Bifur was chewing on his lower lip as he impeded the squirming creature’s efforts.

Radagast glanced at Bofur. “Does your cousin have children?”

“Oh, no,” Bofur replied. “There was once this bonny lass who Bifur loved, but after his—” He caught Bifur looking at him sharply. “—ah, it didn’t work out.”

“Then, my good Dwarf,” Radagast addressed Bifur, “you’d probably like some company, wouldn’t you?”

Bifur cocked his head in confusion at the wizard. Bofur reiterated the words in iglishmêk, and Bifur nodded vigorously.

Radagast smiled slightly. “Would you be willing to take in little Sebastian?”

Bifur’s eyes went wide, and he pointed to the hedgehog. _“This one?”_ his motions seemed to say. When Radagast nodded, Bifur’s face lit up with a great smile, one of the first since the Battle.

Bofur stammered, “Ye’re certain—”

“Yes,” Radagast said, nodding firmly. “Bifur, he is yours. A gift for your return.”

Bifur sang out something gleefully in Khuzdûl and hugged Sebastian so tightly that he gave a small squeak. Bifur instantly slackened his grip, and Sebastian wriggled about until he was burrowed once again under Bifur’s beard.

Radagast gave a sigh that held a touch of wistfulness. “I see he’s already at home with you.” The hedgehog snuffled contentedly in answer. Radagast turned to Bofur. “Well, Mister Bofur, you’d best get in some hours of travel before the sun leaves us.”

“Thank ye so much,” Bofur said appreciatively. “Yer graciousness shall not soon be forgo—”

“None of that,” the wizard interrupted. “Go on.”

Bofur, Bifur, and Bombur repeated their thanks and mounted their ponies outside Rhosgobel.

As they headed off, Bofur cast a glance over his shoulder. Radagast stood in the doorway, with a sad smile on his face. Bofur knew it’d been difficult for him to give away his friend, but he also knew what the wizard was thinking: the joy on Bifur’s face was completely worth it. Indeed, his cousin continued to smile for much of the journey home.

**Author's Note:**

> Just wanted to write something short and sweet, I hope you enjoyed.  
> This was my first time writing Radagast, so I apologize if his character seems off or anything.


End file.
